Memphis Grizzlies Make Ja Morant Injury Announcement Against Warriors

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The Memphis Grizzlies are hosting the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Leading by as many as 52 points towards the end of the third quarter, Memphis absolutely dominated Golden State.
Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant entered this game questionable on the injury report with low back soreness. This was Morant’s 17th game of the season, as he has already missed 11 games this year. Suffering a hard fall in Thursday night’s game, Morant went back to the locker room.
Via Avery Braxton of ABC24 Memphis: "Ja Morant takes a hard bump and stays on the ground. Looks like he was grabbing his lower back/hip. Hobbled to the bench, came back on the floor for free throws, but left after a jump ball was called instead."
Ja Morant takes a hard bump and stays on the ground. Looks like he was grabbing his lower back/hip. Hobbled to the bench, came back on the floor for free throws, but left after a jump ball was called instead. pic.twitter.com/SnirICZs1q
— Avery Braxton (@Brax_Avery) December 20, 2024
Not long after Morant went to the locker room, the Grizzlies made an injury update announcement.
Via Grizzlies PR: “Ja Morant (back soreness) is questionable to return tonight against the Warriors.”
Ja Morant (back soreness) is questionable to return tonight against the Warriors.
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) December 20, 2024
The Grizzlies calling it soreness for Morant is a good sign, as it is not an entirely new injury designation than what he entered the game with. Because the Grizzlies are blowing out the Warriors, it does not make sense for Morant to return to the game even if he is healthy enough to do so. The Grizzlies have been careful with their star point guard all season, and will likely continue to be.
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Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.